QUOTE(skiddtrader @ Jun 4 2008, 03:16 PM)
Money saved kept under the pillow will of course lose value over time. Savings can be put into stocks for dividend, unit trust, foreign FD, gold and even property when the prices are falling.
Stocks (good fundamental stock) and properties will fall initially when inflation situation start to kick in, but as time goes by, when economy situation turn better and inflation situation improve, stocks and properties price will catch up where you can hedge portion of the inflation.
In high inflation situation, saving under pillow will suffer the most instead stocks (because indirectly you are the owner of the business) that can pass the inflation cost to the general consumer in high inflation situation provide better hedge against inflation. Last year you buy Rm1, sell Rm 1.50. Now you buy RM 2 then sell at RM 3. Then in this scenario you can protect your value and suffer less in high inflation situation.
There are statistically and historical proven the good fundamental stocks and also properties (not all) can protect you the inflation situation over the long run because of the business model as mentioned. As we knew businessmen are less affected in high inflation situation but consumers are the one suffer the most. In business, you buy low sell low, buy high sell high. So as long as profit margin is not greatly affected then you indirectly has some protection against inflation, unlike saving under the pillow which is fully exposed to inflation beast.
Central bank who doesn't want to control inflation or not put inflation control as primary objective is just a suicide over the long term only.
Don't get me wrong, just the degree of suffering is lesser, there is no winner in inflation situation.
Another thing, spending unncessary more in anticipated price will rise further is a bad bad move. Spend more mean save less only. <-- good move?
This post has been edited by cherroy: Jun 4 2008, 03:41 PM